Emeka Obioma has expressed disappointment over Abia Warriors’ failure to secure a top-three finish that would have guaranteed qualification for the 2026/2027 CAF Confederation Cup.
Obioma, who currently leads Abia Warriors’ scoring chart with 11 goals this season, admitted the team let a promising campaign slip away at a crucial stage.
For much of the season, Abia Warriors occupied third and fourth positions on the league table, boosting hopes of a return to continental football through the CAF Confederation Cup.
However, those ambitions suffered a major setback on Sunday in Aba after a disappointing 2-0 home defeat to Kun Khalifat FC.
The loss saw Abia Warriors drop to seventh place on the standings with 55 points ahead of their final game of the season.
Reacting to the defeat, Obioma described the outcome as heartbreaking, insisting the team lost momentum at the worst possible moment.
“It’s very unfortunate and painful,” Obioma said. “We stayed committed to our dream throughout the season, but sadly we lost grip at the wrong time.
“That’s how cruel football can be sometimes. We never expected the defeat against Kun Khalifat, and that result dealt a huge blow to us.
“It wasn’t as if we were completely outplayed or failed to create chances. It was simply one of those bad days for us.”
Samuel Ahmadu is a distinguished multimedia journalist and women's football expert with over 15 years of experience in the industry. On the back of domestic engagement since 2008, he began his international career journey at Goal.com in February 2014, where he served as an African women's football correspondent for nearly eight years. During his tenure at Goal.com, Samuel covered major events such as three Women's Africa Cup of Nations (2016, 2018, 2022) and the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup in Canada plus 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia. His work at Goal.com earned him widespread acclaim, particularly for his in-depth profiles of African football stars, notably Asisat Oshoala, whose rise he documented from her early years to her breakthrough at the FIFA U20 Women's World Cup in 2014. Prior to his role at Goal.com, Samuel freelanced for various print and broadcast media outlets in Nigeria, including Graphics Newspaper, Radio Nigeria, Grace FM, and Savid Newspaper. His extensive experience and expertise led to his appointment to the Nigeria Football Federation's Standing Committee on Women's Football Development from 2016 to 2018. Since February 2018, Samuel has been the Social Media Manager for Nigeria's women's national teams.In 2019, Samuel joined the Confederation of African Football (CAF) as a women's football content contributor and was promoted to Women's Football Editor in 2021. His contributions to women's football continued as he worked as a Media Consultant for Content Creation and Editorials at the 2022 CAF Women's Champions League. Currently, Samuel also serves as the spokesman for the Nigeria Women Football League, further solidifying his influence and dedication to the growth of women's football in Africa.
